The average house sale in the UK is taking more than a month longer than buyers expect, with poor communication and repeated requests for paperwork among the main frustrations in a system widely seen as out of step with modern expectations.
New research from the Open Property Data Association (OPDA) has found that buyers anticipate it will take 88 days to exchange contracts once an offer is accepted, but in practice it takes 124 days – 41% longer than planned.
The findings, based on responses from more than 5,300 people who bought or sold a home in the past five years, point to deep-seated dissatisfaction with how transactions are handled. More than 40% of respondents said that communication between parties was the most challenging part of the process, and nearly as many cited the need to chase for updates as a persistent source of stress and delay.
Maria Harris, chair at OPDA, said: “It’s shocking that exchanging contracts still takes 40% longer than expected, especially given that those expectations aren’t exactly high. The problem is that the home-buying process is stuck in the past.”
The OPDA is urging the government and industry to accelerate the move toward a digital-first property market. It argues that a lack of access to data and secure information sharing is fuelling inefficiencies and delays. In particular, it is calling for the introduction of Digital Property Packs that would contain all essential property information upfront, enabling faster and more reliable transactions.
According to the poll, 82% of consumers support the idea of Digital Property Packs, and 77% said they would use one if it were available.
Harris added: “Our research shows that consumers are not only open to Digital Property Packs but are actively calling for them. With the Government’s commitment to digitisation, now is the time to push forward with the solutions and new customer journeys to make this vision a reality.”
The research also revealed that delays are being blamed primarily on property lawyers and conveyancers, named by 44.3% of respondents. Estate agents were cited by 28.8%, mortgage lenders by 17.3%, and valuers or surveyors by 14.9%. There were notable variations across age groups, with older buyers more likely to hold legal professionals accountable, while younger respondents were more inclined to point the finger at estate agents.
One particularly widespread source of delay is duplication. More than 60% of buyers said they had been asked to provide the same information or documents multiple times. OPDA warns that this not only slows progress but increases the risk of mistakes and creates additional data security concerns.
In England and Wales, the average time to exchange contracts is 126 days – 38 days longer than buyers expect. In Scotland, where the process differs and is often thought to be more efficient, it still takes 32 days longer than anticipated.
By comparison, most Australian states require upfront disclosures from the seller, enabling immediate exchange of contracts and typically a 30-day completion period. While the OPDA acknowledges the market differences, it uses the example to highlight how modernising the UK system could bring measurable benefits.
Phil Spencer, property expert and founder of advice website Move iQ, commented: “Everyone knows the old saying about moving home being one of life’s most stressful experiences. But the reason it’s so stress-inducing isn’t just the cost; it’s more likely to be the uncertainty and delays that often plague the process.”
“This research reveals that many of us also underestimate just how long it can take to buy a home. The process is crying out for modernisation, and better transparency and digitalisation could shave weeks off the time taken to complete a purchase, making life better for buyers, sellers and property professionals.”
